This invention relates generally to a welt-type shoe or boot, and a method for manufacturing same, and specifically to such a shoe or boot and method for manufacturing same which attains levels of comfort and flexibility which were previously unattainable in footwear manufactured according to the Goodyear welt system.
The Goodyear welt system of manufacturing shoes and boots is well-known in the industry and the prior art. A shoe or boot made according to the Goodyear welt system is practically indestructible and virtually impervious to water, dirt, and other elements which the user, for obvious reasons, desires to keep out of his shoe or boot.
The process of applying the Goodyear welt stitch to a shoe or boot applies tremendous pressure to the innersole. Therefore, a rigid innersole board is required in shoes and boots made according to the Goodyear welt system. To improve the comfort of such shoes and boots, makers of shoes and boots with the Goodyear welt system position a full-length cushioning pad on top of the innersole board beneath the sock lining. Because of spacial limitations inside the shoe or boot, however, the thickness of padding that may be used is limited, and therefore provides only minimum comfort for the user's feet. Moreover, since such padding is customarily of a uniform thickness, it does not provide additional cushioning at the key impact areas near the heel and forepart of the shoe or boot.
To further improve the comfort of such shoes and boots, users of shoes and boots made with the Goodyear welt system often position an additional full-length cushioning pad on top of the sock lining. In addition to the problems encountered with this arrangement due to the same spacial limitations described above, another problem encountered with this arrangement is that the padding tends to shift during use, which can make the shoe or boot uncomfortable. Also, positioning an additional full-length cushioning pad on top of the sock lining does nothing to increase the flexibility of the rigid innersole board.